graphite-made things do flex, which is the beauty of it. materials like steel, aluminum and titanium flex a lot less, and in a less organic (like wood) manner, which is why you won't see those metals used to performance racquets in large quantities. older sticks like the t2000 and the arthur ashe have no modern equivalents because they just didn't play that well.

if you want to see flexing, watch what happens when hockey players take slapshots. the RA rating for hockey sticks go from 75 (extremely "whippy") to 120 (very stiff).

graphite-made things do flex, which is the beauty of it. materials like steel, aluminum and titanium flex a lot less, and in a less organic (like wood) manner, which is why you won't see those metals used to performance racquets in large quantities. older sticks like the t2000 and the arthur ashe have no modern equivalents because they just didn't play that well.

if you want to see flexing, watch what happens when hockey players take slapshots. the RA rating for hockey sticks go from 75 (extremely "whippy") to 120 (very stiff).

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Great post. And the AL and steel will eventually fail due to fatigue - carbon fiber, not so much.

The hockey stick tech is incredible; those big boys really bend those new sticks.

The tennis racquets take a lot more of the stresses - instead of sending it up your arm.

That is the point. We think that Federer uses a 68 RDC racquet. And the vídeo shows it twisting a lot.

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I wish they'd show a video of someone using a stiff racquet. It would probably show their arm doing all the twisting and warping instead of the racquet... and then people will finally realise they should use a racquet with flex.

I wish they'd show a video of someone using a stiff racquet. It would probably show their arm doing all the twisting and warping instead of the racquet... and then people will finally realise they should use a racquet with flex.

The specs are very similar to those of a Federer K90 as measured by Art Art at Roland Garros which are below. He checked that racket, which had no lead under the bumper by the way.RDC: 68
Weight: 367gr
Balance point: 31.8cm from the but cap
Wilson Gut 1.25mm/AluPower 1.25mm
Wilson overgrip.

If you can imagine some lead was moved from somewhere under the grip in Art Art's, to under the bumper in my friend's racket, that would explain the difference in the balance. I also think there must be a way to do this without changing the swingweight, but it depends where the lead was under the grip in Art Art's racket, and we will never know that unfortunately.

Also the above is the only time I've seen one of Federer's racket tested for RDC, interesting to see it is 68. It is really a pity Art Art wasn't able to get the swingweight checked for that racket, but at least both of these have been checked for lead under the bumper. Fabfed has been brilliant showing all his rackets, but understandably doesn't want to check under the bumper for lead. I looked under the bumper on my friends racket, and it was not easy to do without damaging the bumper!
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Last edited by jimbo333 : 04-15-2013 at 01:11 AM.